A complete change.... (1 Viewer)

stcyr

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Apr 11, 2011
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Son no. 3, his wife & 2 littl'uns, 11 months & nearly 3 just sold all their possessions, gave notice on their home, bought a 1985 6 berth Ducato based MH, through Ebay, for £3.500.
Drove home 200 miles to west Wales, no probs., had a garage-owning friend look over it & tighten up a few bits and pieces...
They loaded up the essentials & went back up to Derbyshire to visit another son, to say au-revoir.
Then down to Berkshire where they spent a couple of nights on a site.
Then down to Seaford for another night on a site before going to Newhaven for the ferry to Dieppe, then down to us in Basse-Normandie.
After a week camped on the village square they've now moved down to our other place 6k away where they intend to stay till after Christmas. Two days ago they saw two deer in the back field, and last night a wild boar came to sniff around. The littl'uns love it.
They are already beginning to fall in love with the place but are still planning on continuing down to the south, then Spain & Portugal, then down through Italy to Greece etc.
They bought a 150w solar-panel before leaving Wales but didn't have time to fit it before they left - that's all now up & running. They've got a (ancient) catalytic heater as well as a Propex, and we are currently going through the previous owner's diy wiring to get the water pumps working so they can operate the shower.
Both Mum & Dad are in their mid & late twenties.
We certainly won't be 'advising' them against this adventure on a shoe-string.
True grit ;)
Well done Nik & Nat!!
 

Carol

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Oct 2, 2007
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18 years s Motorhome (33years caravans)
Wow that is an adventure and I don't blame them, how about treating them to a Fun membership then if they want any info on their travels they can have information at a click. Wish them smooth roads and sunny sky's
 
Dec 27, 2014
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That's the spirit, good on em.

image.jpg
 
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stcyr

stcyr

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Apr 11, 2011
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I am impressed and horrified in equal measures, totally admire their spirit of adventure but what will they live on?
For the time being they're camped at the farm ... lots of jobs to do there, in exchange for provisions etc. Also he is helping another friend and myself to rebuild another house - free labour for us & support for them. Later on they'll be doing fruit-picking all over Europe as & when the fancy takes. Nik also does well (most of the time!) on +500... They don't need a huge amount to live on - just a small amount put by for unforeseen eventualities....
 

Shrimp

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May 27, 2015
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Good luck to them, way to go!
We are doing that now and I love the life but I wish we could have done it years ago!
 

Cal54

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Apr 25, 2014
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I admire their adventurous nature. Travel is a wonderful learning experience for all but especially the children. Good luck to them.
 
Nov 3, 2013
3,165
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Fiat Ducato Auto Wildax
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Hi.
What will they live on ? While ever you have your two hands,you will never starve. power to their elbow.
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Aug 27, 2009
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40 years
Son no. 3, his wife & 2 littl'uns, 11 months & nearly 3 just sold all their possessions, gave notice on their home, bought a 1985 6 berth Ducato based MH, through Ebay, for £3.500.
Drove home 200 miles to west Wales, no probs., had a garage-owning friend look over it & tighten up a few bits and pieces...
They loaded up the essentials & went back up to Derbyshire to visit another son, to say au-revoir.
Then down to Berkshire where they spent a couple of nights on a site.
Then down to Seaford for another night on a site before going to Newhaven for the ferry to Dieppe, then down to us in Basse-Normandie.
After a week camped on the village square they've now moved down to our other place 6k away where they intend to stay till after Christmas. Two days ago they saw two deer in the back field, and last night a wild boar came to sniff around. The littl'uns love it.
They are already beginning to fall in love with the place but are still planning on continuing down to the south, then Spain & Portugal, then down through Italy to Greece etc.
They bought a 150w solar-panel before leaving Wales but didn't have time to fit it before they left - that's all now up & running. They've got a (ancient) catalytic heater as well as a Propex, and we are currently going through the previous owner's diy wiring to get the water pumps working so they can operate the shower.
Both Mum & Dad are in their mid & late twenties.
We certainly won't be 'advising' them against this adventure on a shoe-string.
True grit ;)
Well done Nik & Nat!!
Great story, I wish them well. They are doing it at the best possible age. Carrying these aspirations on until you retire is a pipe dream. :)
 
Feb 22, 2014
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How lovely. Go well, as they say in SA. Freedom. Nothing better. (y)
 

Charlie

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May 16, 2015
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I am impressed and horrified in equal measures, totally admire their spirit of adventure but what will they live on?

Same here... Wish them well though but I even if the gaffer agreed would never have been that brave !

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TheBig1

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Nov 27, 2011
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many many years! since I was a kid
I will have to be careful what I say. There are plenty on here who will wish them well, and equally as many think them reckless by not working hard to provide well for the children. I am a bit in both camps with my thoughts

a brilliant experience for young children and a great education on the road. If they are able to keep the old van running well and waterproof whilst paying their way by labouring fruit picking etc, then good for them. Very brave and more get up and go than most their age

I would worry about what happens when the van dies in the middle of nowhere. no home to return to and its very difficult to get back into accommodation from being homeless. the life of an itinerant fruit picker is a very hard life and not ideal with young toddlers in tow. medical care may also be an issue. both when travelling and on return to the uk

I know a bit about this, as my son in law thought about taking to a life on the road when he couldnt get a job. at that time they too were responsible for 2 young toddlers. the amount of things he just hadnt thought through was ridiculous. His parents reported them to social services and went to court to try and get custody and nearly won. making themselves deliberately homeless was fine as it may be a stupid decision but it was theirs to make. making young children homeless though was irresponsible. in the end the court put a stop to the stupid idea and had social services visit them regularly reporting back to the court every few months for 2 years. so a stupid and reckless plan nearly lost my daughter her children

I wont go on but needless to say, there is one hell of a lot more to think about than most may realise
 
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stcyr

stcyr

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Should the van break down they'll fix it or get it fixed. Nowhere in France will they be far from support/help if needed.
If they break down irretrievably anywhere else that'll be a good opportunity for us to go & keep them company in our MH.
We have several friends with vineyards, cattle and fruit farms where they will always get work.
Nat is currently studying on the internet for her Bachelor of science degree...
Nik's a trained chef - he's also an experienced builder & sawmill operative.
He deals in stocks & shares very successfully, also on the internet.
As for security, they have a roof over their heads with all the facilities they would have in a rented house or flat - without the ridiculous overheads they had in Wales.
As soon as Nik registers as an artisan here (should he want to) he & his family will be on the French system with full medical cover & all the great family benefits available here...
We have several properties here, any of which they can use as their own should they need to... They don't need to wait till we 'pop our clogs' to inherit - he's already spent a week & a half beavering away on one of the houses ...
Thinking about it, we are tempted to get a yurt, plonk it in one of the fields & live in it, let the boys have the properties now while they can enjoy them ... Whether one's home is a MH, a house, a tent or a boat, it's one's home. All you need is something to keep the weather off, keep bellies full, keep the kids happy & educated etc. etc.
Their £3.5k antique MH starts, stops, goes, doesn't leak, is cheap to insure & they can get spares anywhere cheaply....
No-brainer - live happily for not a lot or flog guts out on a treadmill for the foreseeable future.
;)

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TheBig1

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Nov 27, 2011
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many many years! since I was a kid
Should the van break down they'll fix it or get it fixed. Nowhere in France will they be far from support/help if needed.
If they break down irretrievably anywhere else that'll be a good opportunity for us to go & keep them company in our MH.
We have several friends with vineyards, cattle and fruit farms where they will always get work.
Nat is currently studying on the internet for her Bachelor of science degree...
Nik's a trained chef - he's also an experienced builder & sawmill operative.
He deals in stocks & shares very successfully, also on the internet.
As for security, they have a roof over their heads with all the facilities they would have in a rented house or flat - without the ridiculous overheads they had in Wales.
As soon as Nik registers as an artisan here (should he want to) he & his family will be on the French system with full medical cover & all the great family benefits available here...
We have several properties here, any of which they can use as their own should they need to... They don't need to wait till we 'pop our clogs' to inherit - he's already spent a week & a half beavering away on one of the houses ...
Thinking about it, we are tempted to get a yurt, plonk it in one of the fields & live in it, let the boys have the properties now while they can enjoy them ... Whether one's home is a MH, a house, a tent or a boat, it's one's home. All you need is something to keep the weather off, keep bellies full, keep the kids happy & educated etc. etc.
Their £3.5k antique MH starts, stops, goes, doesn't leak, is cheap to insure & they can get spares anywhere cheaply....
No-brainer - live happily for not a lot or flog guts out on a treadmill for the foreseeable future.
;)
not your average 20 somethings then, with good brains, skills and education. they are in a very enviable position and as you say, its a no-brainer for them

I hope they have a very enjoyable stress free time:wink:
 
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stcyr

stcyr

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Apr 11, 2011
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Text received last night ... :

Never mind the country, this truly is Life.
Dinner cooked on an open fire.
Kids have never slept so well.
A glass or two of wine and the open sky.
Not a tv in sight.
Same again tomorrow.
No complaints here!
Happy days!

;)
 

Glandwr

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Power to their elbows it will be an experience that will hopefully enrich the rest of their lives.

I don't want to be a wet blanket but the words ancient catalytic heater I'm afraid leapt out at me. I lost a dear one to cabon momoxide poison through such. Please, please email them to check if they have an alarm.

Dick

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